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Stephen S. Gottlieb, M.D.

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Heart failure

Alternative Names:

CHF; Congestive heart failure

Symptoms:

Infants may sweat during feeding (or other exertion).

Some patients with heart failure have no symptoms. In these people, the symptoms may develop only with these conditions:

Signs and tests:

A physical examination may reveal either an irregular or a rapid heartbeat. There may be distended neck veins, enlarged liver , swelling of the limbs (peripheral edema), and signs of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion).

Listening to the chest with a stethoscope may reveal lung crackles or abnormal heart sounds . Blood pressure may be normal, high, or low.

An enlargement of the heart or decreased heart functioning may be seen on several tests, including the following:

This disease may also alter the following test results:

If excessive fluid has accumulated around the sac surrounding the heart (pericardium), you may need to have the fluid removed through a pericardiocentesis .

References:

Hunt SA, Abraham WT, Chin MH, Feldman AM, Francis GS, Ganiats TG, et al. ACC/AHA 2005 Guideline Update for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005;46:1-82.

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